Air-inlet drop tube and bracket for ice making systems



'Nov. 10, 1936. W B, NELSON 2,060,632

AIR INI .El1 DROP TUBE AND BRACKET FOR ICE MAKING SYSTEMS Filed Feb. 2l, 1935 Patented Nov. I0, 1936 UNITED STATES AIR-INLET DROP TUBE AND BRACKET FOR ICE MAKING SYSTEMS Wilburv B. Nelson, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Ice Plant Equipment Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February Z1, 1935, Serial No. 7,549

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to ice making systems and more particularly to a combined airinlet drop-tube and bracket for the freezing cans usually employed in such systems.

The general object of this invention is to provide a novel construction of supporting bracket and ferrule-assemblage for suspending air-inlet drop tubes vertically irrespective of the angular placement of the bracket.

1() Another object is to suspend the tube from the bracket by a novel form of ferrule-assemblage centrally of the conventional ice can.

A further object is the provision of a novel form of supporting bracket and air-inlet droptube which can be economically produced and finished with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

With the stated and ancillary objects in view this invention consists in the novel construction,

combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved air-inlet drop-tube and supporting bracket unit substantially as hereinafter described, illustrated in the drawing, and finally claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. I is a vertical section through a conventional ice can tted with the novel single bracket and drop-tube attachment of this invention.

Fig. II is a broken sectional detail, drawn to a larger scale, of the drop-tube attachment and bracket.

Fig. III is a detail view of the tube supporting collar hereinafter fully described.

Fig. IV is a part sectional and part plan view of the supporting bracket for the drop-tube.

Fig. V is a broken perspective vieW of the supporting bracket.

Fig. VI is a sectional plan on the plane VI-VI of Fig. II; and,

Fig. VII is a detail view of the drop-tube ferrule.

Referring more in detail to the drawing the reference numeral I comprehensively designates a conventional type freezing or ice can, such as is customarily employed in ice making plants; said can being strengthened by stiifening beads 2 and having a top reinforcement 3, all in accordance with known practice.

My improved bracket and air-inlet droptube are provided as a unit and comprise the bracket 4 that embodies a hook, or inverted-U portion 5, which is adapted to snugly seat over the can upper edge and surrounding reinforcement 3, as readily understood from Figs. I and IV. Projecting downwardly from the bracket hook portion 5 preferably in that side of the bore 9 adjoining 10V- the convergent walls 6; while the latter are braced at spaced intervals by integrally formed cross-webs I3. Thus it will be seen that the bracket 4 is of very light but sturdy construction,

while it is preferably bellied at I4 and opposedly 15,

grooved at I5, so as to reduce the grippage surface coacting with the ice can top.

'I'he air tube I6 is provided with the usual small holes I'I for admitting air into the Water being frozen in the can I after the bottom end 20 of said tube has become frozen shut. At its upper end the air tube I6 is firmly screw-threaded into the ferrule I 8, shown to best advantage in Fig. VII. This ferrule I8, it will be noted, embodies a cylindric body portion I9 having a sin- 25 gle radial projection or vertical rib 20, for free engagement in the bracket apertured-end groove I 2 toy prevent rotation of the ferrule I8; a reduced neck portion 2l with an exteriorly screw-threaded head 22; and a diametrically enlarged lower por- 30 tion 23, the latter being circumferentially-tapered at 24 in substantial correspondence with the concentric flare II of the bracket bore 9, hereinbefore referred to. It is also to be noted that the bore 25 of the ferrule I8 is slightly tapered down- 35 wardly for friction fitment of the nozzle 26 of the air line 21, indicated in Fig. II by dot-and-dash lines.

Support of the air tube I6 and attached ferrule I8, in accordance with this invention, is vested 40 in a collar 28 having the general configuration of a polygonal nut, the bore of which is screwthreaded for coaction with the correspondingly threaded head 22 of the ferrule I8; while its lower exterior portion 29 is surroundingly- 45 tapered, or coned to an approximately sharp edge at 29', for seating coaction against the upper inner edge of the bracket apertured end lip or annular embossment I0 hereinbefore referred to, and as will be clearly understandable from Fig. II 50 more particularly. It will also be readily understood that when the edge 29, first comes into engagement with the top face of the rib 20 and upper shouldered edge I9 of the ferrule body portion I9, that by further turning of the polyg- 55 onal nut 28, in the direction of the screw-thread on the ferrule head 22, that said edge 29 will be crushed inwardly into rm locking engagement both with the rib 20 and said edge I9', whereby back racking of the nut is rendered practically impossible save when absolutely necessary. Thus it will be readily appreciated that the air tube I6 is locked to the bracket 4 and suspended on what may be termed a knife edge and that it will at all times automatically center itself in the can I by gravity, without any remote possibility of becoming disconnected from said bracket.

From the foregoing it is thought the merits and advantages of this invention will be fully appreciated without further explanation herein, but the right is reserved to make such minor changes, as differing service conditions may call for, without departing from the intent and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

1. A unit for freezing cans comprising a bracket having one end adapted for seating engagement over the can upper edge and in the other end a bore, a groove in the bracket opening into the bore, a drop tube having a ferrule on its upper end for engagement in the bore, a rib on the ferrule adapted to engage said groove, a collar on the ferrule, means on the bracket affording a line bearing for the collar, said collar having an exteriorly threaded head and an intermediate reduced portion to provide a shoulder to inwardly deflect a part of the collar, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A unit for freezing cans comprising a bracket having one end adapted for seating engagement over the can upper edge and its other end having a bore therein, an annular rib on the latter end, a drop tube having a ferrule on its upper end for engagement in said bore, a collar on the ferrule, said collar having a coned part adapted to rest on the lip, said lip providing a line bearing for the said coned part, and the coned part having a sharp edge for binding engagement with the errule.

3. A unit for freezing cans comprising a bracket having one end adapted for seating engagement on the upper edge of the can and its other end vertically bored, said bore having a ilare about its lower part and having an outwardly directed groove therethrough, a drop tube having a ferrule xed to its upper end and adapted for free passage upwardly into the bore and having an annular shoulder, a rib on the ferrule engageable in the groove, said ferrule having its lower part diametrically enlarged and tapered in substantial correspondence with said flare, a supporting collar being shaped to aiord a line bearing on the bracket and being threaded on the upper end of the ferrule, and said collar having an exteriorly coned lower part defining a sharp edge fo1` mashing engagement with the said shoulder to lock the collar against illicit removal.

4. A unit for freezing cans comprising a bracket having one end adapted for seating engagement on the upper edge of the can and its other end vertically bored, the bore having a flare about its lower part and having an outwardly directed groove therethrough, a drop tube having a ferrule fixed to its upper end and adapted for free passage upwardly into the bore, a rib on the ferrule engageable in the groove, said ferrule having a diametrical reduced part intermediate the body portion and an exteriorly threaded head to provide an inward deflecting shoulder, a supporting collar being threaded on the head of the ferrule, said collar having an exteriorly coned lower part dening a sharp edge for mashing engagement with said shoulder to lock the collar against illicit removal.

WILBUR B. NELSON. 

